Olmec Quartz Small Maskette COA
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Directory: Antiques: Regional Art: Americas: Pre Columbian: Stone: Pre AD 1000: Item # 1331771
Directory: Antiques: Regional Art: Americas: Pre Columbian: Stone: Pre AD 1000: Item # 1331771
Please refer to our stock # LS201602 when inquiring.
$5,000.00
This beautiful Olmec maskette is 36mm long and 27mm wide. It is made from transparent high grade flawless quartz with very high energy. It has a very solid hole at the top center making it perfect to add a gold loop for everyday wear as a pendant. It is nicely scooped in the back. There are two things that make this piece extremely rare and desirable. The first is the size. In 40 years of collecting, I have seen only two authentic Olmec maskettes that are this small. The other is the jade pendant on this website. I have seen many come on the market in the last few years that are modern reproductions. Notice they do not come with a COA, at least not from a reputable authenticator. The size allows one to wear this as a jewelry piece which is always desirable. It is also a fabulous pocket piece. The second is the quartz material. For some reason, quartz artifacts are far more rare than jade although jade is far more rare than quartz. I have never seen another Olmec quartz maskette. I have only seen a handful of authentic pre-Columbian artifacts made from quartz as it is a very difficult material to work with. This piece shows fabulous patina and obvious and correct surface weathering. The hole is bow drilled and is correct. Bow drilling is obvious for the eyes, mouth. There is no evidence of modern tool marks. It is a perfect little authentic maskette. It comes with a Bill Breckinridge COA using Laser Spectrographic and microscopic evaluation, visible spectrum florescence and UV examination. This is truly an incredible find. I may never see another one like it in my lifetime.